Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/football/article/2185516/benjamin-mendys-hong-kong-trip-riles-pep-guardiola-manchester-city
Sport/ Football

Benjamin Mendy’s ‘Hong Kong’ trip riles Pep Guardiola … but Manchester City defender reveals it’s all a joke

  • Man City manager looks stunned at press conference when told his defender is apparently in Hong Kong
  • But Mendy was just playing a prank on his Instagram followers
Benjamin Mendy plays a joke with his Instagram followers. Photo: Instagram

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left flabbergasted at a pre-match press conference on Friday after he was told Benjamin Mendy was apparently in Hong Kong – but it was just another one of the defender’s hilarious pranks.

The 24-year-old Frenchman had posted an Instagram Story in a vehicle with the location tag “Hong Kong International Airport” earlier in the day.

“Wow, I didn’t know it,” said Guardiola, laughing, after a reporter brought the post to light. “What? F***, he’s a lucky guy.

“Well before he said, ‘I’m going to Paris for one day’, but Hong Kong is far away. I don’t know. I have to install an Instagram account because I didn’t know.”

Guardiola had authorised Mendy to visit Europe this week as the left back recovers from a recurring knee injury, which has ruled him out of City’s game against Chelsea on Sunday.

Asking the press officer next to him, Guardiola said, “Did you know? You have to know!” to which the club official said he didn’t.

“Yesterday he was in Barcelona,” Guardiola continued. “No it’s definitely not OK for him to be so far away.”

Mendy, who joined City from Monaco in 2017, later revealed on Twitter he did not in fact take an unauthorised trip to the Far East – he had just been playing a prank.

“It was just joking with my Uber driver, I don’t want no problems Pep,” Mendy tweeted with a series of laughing emojis.

Guardiola’s comical reaction to Mendy’s whereabouts soon vent viral with the hashtag #WhereIsMendy trending on social media.

Mendy continued the joke with another Instagram Story post showing him at Manchester airport with the location tag “Dubai Mall Burj Khalifa”.

His fellow City full back Kyle Walker also got in on the act, taking a lighthearted dig at his teammate for not being in training.

Mendy is known as a prankster in the City dressing room and became a fans’ favourite last season because of his antics on social media while recovering from his serious knee ligament injury.

But Guardiola may not see the funny side this time – after the 2-0 win against Arsenal in the opening game of the season, he half-jokingly called on Mendy to focus less on social media and more on developing as a player.

“Mendy has a lot of things to improve and hopefully we can convince him to forget a little bit the social media and improve a few things,” he said.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola prepares to bring on Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy as a substitute at Burton Albion. Photo: Reuters
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola prepares to bring on Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy as a substitute at Burton Albion. Photo: Reuters

Of course, Mendy tweeted “oops” in response, but later showed he was trying to take his manager’s advice more seriously.

“Every time I am with my phone I am on Instagram or Twitter and so now I need to be careful,” Mendy said. “When I am at the training centre, the CFA [City Football Academy], I don’t use my phone but instead I listen to the manager.”

“I know the fans love it, but the manager is the chief of the team, so when he says something I have to listen to him,” he added.

“Every player understands this. So in the dressing room, everywhere, I don’t pick up my phone. The manager is the manager. If he says something, I need to listen to him.